Gen Kayihura charged with three counts, remanded

What you need to know:

  • Towards the end of his tenure, the police office seemed to go a bit out of control, with President Yoweri Museveni accusing the Force of being infiltrated by criminals and eventually ordering the army to arrest a number of senior police officers and other Gen Kayihura’s associates, which ended with the arrest of Gen Kayihura himself.

Gen Kale Kayihura, the former Inspector General of Police, who has been in military detention has Friday been charged in the General Court Martial sitting at Makindye with three counts.

Gen Andrew Gutti, the chairman of the court, presided over the proceedings.
Gen Kayihura was charged with aiding and abetting the kidnapping by commission, repatriating Rwandan exile and refugees and Ugandan citizens to Rwanda between 2012 and 2016.

He was also accused of failing to protect war material by issuing arms to unauthorised persons including Boda Boda 2010 members led by jailed Abdallah Kitatta between 2010 and 2018.

Gen Kayihura salutes Gen Gutti, the chairman of the court. Photo by Abubaker Lubowa


Gen Kayihura denied the charges.

His lawyers, who wanted their client to be released on bail were asked to put their application in writing for consideration on August 28.
The case was adjourned to September 4, 2018.

Since June 13, Gen Kayihura has been confined to a two-bedroom apartment house in the Military Police Barracks at Makindye, a suburb of Kampala City.

During his tenure as police chief, the number of police officers rose from 15,000 to 50,000. He made stopping Dr Besigye’s quest for power his pet project, breaking up the gatherings of the Opposition chief and overseeing his arrest several times.

Towards the end of his tenure, the police office seemed to go a bit out of control, with President Yoweri Museveni accusing the Force of being infiltrated by criminals and eventually ordering the army to arrest a number of senior police officers and other Gen Kayihura’s associates, which ended with the arrest of Gen Kayihura himself.

By that time, crime seemed to spiral around the country, with killings, including of high profile citizens, and robberies being rampant.